The crown jewel of the Canadian Hockey League slate, the Memorial Cup tournament shines a spotlight on the next generation of celebrities on skates and often serves as a springboard to the next level.

Long before he could grow a playoff beard in less than an hour and added four Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and a world championship to his resume, smooth-skating Scott Niedermayer led the Kamloops Blazers to a Memorial Cup crown in 1992.

Five springs back, Corey Perry and the London Knights silenced Sidney Crosby’s Rimouski Oceanic in the winner-take-all final game.

Current standouts such as Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, and Roberto Luongo also skated in the prestigious four-team tourney, while Hockey Hall-of-Famers like Dale Hawerchuk and Luc Robitaille are on the alumni list, too.

Windsor Spitfires sharpshooter Taylor Hall is already a household name in the hockey world, thanks in large part to his MVP performance at last year’s Memorial Cup and his status as a top prospect for next month’s NHL Entry Draft.

But there’s no shortage of candidates to steal his thunder this week at Westman Place, where the defending champion Spitfires, Calgary Hitmen, Moncton Wildcats and host Brandon Wheat Kings will battle for major-junior supremacy.